2022 – 2023
Florida Department of Education
Curriculum Framework 

Program Title:	Residential Air Conditioning, Refrigeration and Heating Systems Technician
Career Cluster:	Architecture and Construction

CCC	
CIP Number	0615050102	
Program Type	College Credit Certificate (CCC)	
Program Length	24 Credit Hours	
CTSO	SkillsUSA	
SOC Codes (all applicable) 	49-9021 - Heating, Air Conditioning, and Refrigeration Mechanics and Installers	
CTE Program Resources 	http://www.fldoe.org/academics/career-adult-edu/career-tech-edu/program-resources.stml	

Purpose

The purpose of this program is to prepare students for employment as air conditioning and heating technicians or to provide supplemental training for persons previously or currently employed in these occupations. This certificate program is part of the Air Conditioning, Refrigeration and Heating Systems Technology AAS degree program (0615050100).  

This certificate program is part of the Air Conditioning, Refrigeration, and Heating Systems Technology AAS degree program (0615050100).  

A College Credit Certificate consists of a program of instruction of less than sixty (60) credits of college-level courses, which is part of an AS or AAS degree program and prepares students for entry into employment (Rule 6A-14.030, F.A.C.).

This program offers a sequence of courses that provides coherent and rigorous content aligned with challenging academic standards and relevant technical knowledge and skills needed to prepare for further education and careers in the Architecture and Construction career cluster; provides technical skill proficiency, and includes competency-based applied learning that contributes to the academic knowledge, higher-order reasoning and problem-solving skills, work attitudes, general employability skills, technical skills, and occupation-specific skills, and knowledge of all aspects of the Architecture and Construction career cluster. The content includes but is not limited to communication skills, leadership skills, human relations and employability skills, and safe and efficient work practices.  The program prepares students to assist in engineering departments or work independently, capable of designing, installing, maintaining and operating small or medium air conditioning, heating or refrigerating systems.

Additional Information relevant to this Career and Technical Education (CTE) program is provided at the end of this document.

Standards

After successfully completing this program, the student will be able to perform the following:

01.0	Demonstrate the importance of health, safety and environmental management systems in organizations and their importance to organizational performance and regulatory compliance.
02.0	Read construction documents.
03.0	Analyze fluids, pressures, refrigerants and related codes.
04.0	Evaluate heating, air-conditioning and refrigeration system components and accessories.
05.0	Fabricate and service the piping, tubing and fittings used in the heating, air-conditioning and refrigeration industry.
06.0	Conduct start-up and check-out procedures for mechanical heating and air-conditioning systems.
07.0	Use combustion-type heating servicing and testing equipment.
08.0	Understand the design of heating and cooling systems.
09.0	Identify basic principles of heating, air conditioning, refrigeration and ventilation piping sizing.
10.0	Explain the standards for and ways to measure indoor-air quality.
11.0	(Optional) Maintain and repair thermal storage systems.
12.0	Interpret, use and modify construction drawings and specifications.
13.0	Balance an air distribution system.
14.0	Select energy conservation equipment.
15.0	Analyze building management systems.

2022 – 2023
Florida Department of Education
Student Performance Standards

Program Title:	Residential Air Conditioning, Refrigeration and Heating Systems Technician
CIP Number:		0615050102
Program Length:	24 Credit Hours
SOC Code(s):		49-9021

This certificate program is part of the Air Conditioning, Refrigeration and Heating Systems Technology AAS degree program (0615050100). At the completion of this program, the student will be able to:	
01.0	Demonstrate the importance of health, safety and environmental management systems in organizations and their importance to organizational performance and regulatory compliance--The student will be able to:	
01.01	Describe personal and jobsite safety rules and regulations that maintain safe and healthy work environments.	
01.02	Explain the reasons for regular safety meetings and for company safety policies.	
01.03	Explain the need for employee-background checks and medical examinations.	
01.04	Identify appropriate fire extinguishers and other such safety devices.	
01.05	Identify and follow emergency and rescue procedures.	
01.06	Identify and use safe-handling practices as they relate to hazardous and volatile fluids, compounds and gases.	
01.07	Demonstrate Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) 10, Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) practices, Department of Transportation (DOT) hazardous materials safety requirements, lock-out and tag out, and electrical safety.	
01.08	Select and wear proper protective clothing and equipment.	
01.09	Describe the purpose and requirements of local, state and federal heating, air-conditioning and refrigeration codes and standards as well as the manufacturer's installation instructions.	
01.10	Identify and use OSHA practices when working with heating, air-conditioning and refrigeration systems and equipment.	
01.11	Explain emergency procedures to follow in response to workplace accidents and understand a disaster and/or emergency response plan.	
02.0	Read construction documents--The student will be able to:	
02.01	Recognize and identify basic construction drawing terms, components and symbols.	
02.02	Relate information on construction drawings to actual locations on the print.	
02.03	Recognize different classifications of construction drawings.	
02.04	Interpret and use drawing dimensions.	
03.0	Analyze fluids, pressures, refrigerants and related codes--The student will be able to:	
03.01	Identify and explain general safety issues and EPA rules (especially EPA 608) and regulations regarding the handling of refrigerants.	
03.02	Define and explain pressure, fluid and temperature.	
03.03	Explain the standards for and ways to measure and calculate absolute and gauge pressures.	
03.04	Identify and explain the classifications, properties and uses of different refrigerants based on chemical composition.	
03.05	Explain how fluids react and flow in a closed versus an open environment or vessel.	
03.06	Define and identify "color‑coding" of refrigerant cylinders.	
03.07	Explain the proper methods of transferring, storing and recovering refrigerants.	
03.08	Explain the effects of an improper refrigerant and contaminants in a system.	
03.09	Identify the refrigerants in common use and state the types of applications in which each is used. 	
03.10	Describe how azeotropes and near-azeotropes differ from each other and from so-called pure refrigerants.	
03.11	Compare and interpret a P-T chart for pure refrigerants, azeotrope, and near-azeotrope refrigerants and explain the difference between bubble point and dew point.	
03.12	Demonstrate refrigerant leak detecting methods.	
03.13	Identify the different types of oils used in refrigeration systems and explain their relationships to the various refrigerants. 	
03.14	Explain how to add and remove oil from a system.	
03.15	Describe how to test oil and acid for contamination.	
03.16	Explain and differentiate HFO refrigerants from CFC, HCFC and HFC refrigerants.	
03.17	Explain the proper procedures in handling HFO refrigerants.	
04.0	Evaluate heating, air-conditioning and refrigeration system components and accessories--The student will be able to:	
04.01	Explain the types, operation, use and requirements of	
a.	Compressors (such as reciprocating, rotary, screw, scroll and inverter)	
b.	Condensers and evaporators (such as evaporative condensers, evaporative coils, shell and tube, tube within a tube and fin and tube)	
c.	Metering devices (such as adjusting automatic and thermostatic expansion valves, fixed orifices, stepper motor electronic expansion valve (EEV), solenoid EEV and other devices available on the local market)	
04.02	Identify the location and explain the uses of refrigerant flow accessories.	
04.03	Identify the location and explain the uses of heating, air-conditioning and refrigeration-system accessories (such as receivers, dryers/filers, solenoid valves, heat exchangers, accumulators, suction filter, oil separators, evaporator pressure-regulating valve, crankcase pressure-regulating valves, hot gas bypass valves and check valves).	
05.0	Fabricate and service the piping, tubing and fittings used in the heating, air-conditioning and refrigeration industry--The student will be able to:	
05.01	Identify and explain the purpose of the piping, tubing and fittings used in the heating, air-conditioning and refrigeration industry.	
05.02	Bend tubing, using tube benders.	
05.03	Connect tubing using flared fittings, pressed fittings and compression fittings.	
05.04	Connect tubing, using a swaged-joint connection.	
05.05	Identify and use various types of torches.	
05.06	Identify, select and use appropriate brazing alloys, materials and skills.	
05.07	Explain the purposes and procedures for protecting piping materials and fabrication, such as valves, fittings and products from heat.	
05.08	Braze tubing while purging dry nitrogen.	
05.09	Silver-braze brass, steels and copper.	
05.10	Demonstrate an understanding of the procedures for installing pipe and tubing insulation.	
05.11	Explain the procedures required for installing heating, air-conditioning, refrigerant and ventilation accessories.	
05.12	Fabricate and leak-test the piping, tubing and fittings used in the heating, air-conditioning and refrigeration industry.	
05.13	Demonstrate proper safety measures when fabricating and servicing piping, tubing and fittings.	
05.14	Describe and demonstrate procedures for brazing dissimilar metals.	
06.0	Conduct start-up and check-out procedures for mechanical heating and air-conditioning systems--The student will be able to:	
06.01	Identify and explain the following heat-pump systems: air-to-air, water-to-air, water-to-water, air-to-ground (geothermal), open-loop and closed-loop.	
06.02	Determine the start-up and checkout procedures recommended by different manufacturers.	
06.03	Determine the temperature split/ difference across the outdoor coil on a heat pump.	
06.04	Determine the temperature split/ difference across the indoor coil on a heat pump.	
06.05	Apply good customer-relations skills.	
07.0	Use combustion-type heating servicing and testing equipment--The student will be able to:	
07.01	Explain combustion theory and the safety precautions for using combustion-type-heating servicing and testing equipment.	
07.02	Identify and explain the various types of combustion-type heating servicing and testing equipment (such as draft gauge, U-tube manometer, sling psychrometer, millivolt meter and oil-furnace testing equipment).	
07.03	Use the servicing and testing equipment.	
07.04	Test, analyze and troubleshoot combustion-type-heating systems.	
08.0	Understand the design of heating and cooling systems--The student will be able to:	
08.01	Identify and describe the steps in the system design process. 	
08.02	Use construction drawings or an actual job site to obtain information needed to complete heating and cooling load estimates.	
08.03	Identify the factors that affect heat gains and losses to a building and describe how these factors influence the design process.	
08.04	Complete a load estimate to determine the heating and/or cooling load of a building.	
08.05	State the principles that affect the selection of equipment to satisfy the calculated heating and/or cooling load.	
08.06	Select heating and/or cooling equipment using manufacturers’ product data.	
08.07	Identify the various types of duct systems and explain why and where each type is used.	
08.08	Demonstrate the effect of fittings and transitions on duct system design.	
08.09	Use a friction loss chart and duct sizing table to size duct. 	
08.10	Install insulation and vapor barriers used in duct systems. 	
08.11	Select and install refrigerant and condensate piping following proper design principles.	
08.12	Describe airflow and pressures in a basic forced-air distribution system.	
08.13	Explain the differences between propeller and centrifugal fans and blowers.	
08.14	Identify the various types of duct systems and explain why and where each type is used.	
08.15	Demonstrate or explain the installation of metal, fiberboard and flexible duct.	
08.16	Demonstrate or explain the installation of fittings and transitions used in duct systems.	
08.17	Identify and explain the operations of electrical control systems and their components (zone damper motors).	
08.18	Demonstrate or explain the use and installation of dampers used in duct systems.	
08.19	Demonstrate or explain the use and installation of insulation and vapor barriers used in duct systems.	
08.20	Identify instruments used to make measurements in air systems and explain the use of each instrument.	
08.21	Make basic temperature, air pressure and velocity measurements in an air distribution system.	
08.22	Complete a Manual D Duct design according to heat load calculations.	
09.0	Identify basic principles of heating, air conditioning, refrigeration and ventilation piping sizing--The student will be able to:	
09.01	Identify and explain various types of heating, air-conditioning and refrigeration piping.	
09.02	Identify basic principles of sizing various heating, air conditioning, refrigeration and ventilation for various tasks.	
09.03	Explain pressure and temperature drops.	
10.0	Explain the standards for and ways to measure indoor-air quality--The student will be able to:	
10.01	Identify and explain the codes and standards regarding indoor-air quality.	
10.02	Select and use indoor-air-quality measuring devices.	
10.03	Explain the standards for and ways to measure indoor-air quality using various methods.	
11.0	(Optional) Maintain and repair thermal storage systems--The student will be able to:	
11.01	Apply appropriate codes, standards and safety practices.	
11.02	Describe the benefits and limitations of each type.	
11.03	Explain the operational principles of a thermal storage system.	
11.04	Identify and explain various types of thermal storage systems.	
11.05	Troubleshoot and test various types of thermal storage systems.	
12.0	Interpret, use and modify construction drawings and specifications--The student will be able to:	
12.01	Read mechanical plans within a set of construction drawings explain their relationship.	
12.02	Compare mechanical plans with the actual installation of duct and pipe runs, fittings and sections. 	
12.03	Interpret specification documents and apply them to the plans. 	
12.04	Interpret shop drawings and apply them to the plans and specifications. 	
12.05	Develop a field set of as-built drawings. 	
12.06	Identify the steps required for transferring design information to component production. 	
12.07	List and classify materials most commonly used in HVAC systems. 	
13.0	Balance an air distribution system--The student will be able to:	
13.01	Explain the fan and pump laws.	
13.02	Use a psychrometric chart to evaluate air properties and changes in air properties.	
13.03	Explain the principles involved in the balancing of air and water distribution systems.	
13.04	Define common terms used by manufacturers when describing grilles, registers and diffusers.	
13.05	Identify and use the tools and instruments needed to balance air distribution systems.	
13.06	Change the speed of an air distribution system supply fan.	
14.0	Select energy conservation equipment--The student will be able to: 	
14.01	Identify and explain the operation of energy conservation equipment.	
14.02	Operate selected energy conservation equipment.	
15.0	Analyze building management systems--The student will be able to: 	
15.01	Identify the major components of a building management system and describe how they fit together.	
15.02	Explain a basic direct digital controller. 	

Additional Information

Laboratory Activities

Laboratory investigations that include scientific inquiry, research, measurement, problem solving, emerging technologies, tools and equipment, as well as, experimental, quality, and safety procedures are an integral part of this career and technical program/course. Laboratory investigations benefit all students by developing an understanding of the complexity and ambiguity of empirical work, as well as the skills required to manage, operate, calibrate and troubleshoot equipment/tools used to make observations. Students understand measurement error; and have the skills to aggregate, interpret, and present the resulting data. Equipment and supplies should be provided to enhance hands-on experiences for students.

Career and Technical Student Organization (CTSO)

SkillsUSA is the intercurricular career and technical student organization for providing leadership training and reinforcing specific career and technical skills.  Career and Technical Student Organizations provide activities for students as an integral part of the instruction offered.  

Accommodations

Federal and state legislation requires the provision of accommodations for students with disabilities to meet individual needs and ensure equal access. Postsecondary students with disabilities must self-identify, present documentation, request accommodations if needed, and develop a plan with their counselor and/or instructors. Accommodations received in postsecondary education may differ from those received in secondary education. Accommodations change the way the student is instructed. Students with disabilities may need accommodations in such areas as instructional methods and materials, assignments and assessments, time demands and schedules, learning environment, assistive technology and special communication systems. Documentation of the accommodations requested and provided should be maintained in a confidential file.

Additional Resources

For additional information regarding articulation agreements, Bright Futures Scholarships, Fine Arts/Practical Arts Credit and Equivalent Mathematics and Equally Rigorous Science Courses please refer to: http://www.fldoe.org/academics/career-adult-edu/career-tech-edu/program-resources.stml